Optical Detection of Chloramphenicol Using Molecularly Imprinted Polymers

Abstract

A practical optical sensing system for the determination of chloramphenicol (CAP), utilizing molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) and HPLC, has been developed. The method is based on competitive displacement of a chloramphenicol-methyl red (CAP-MR) dye conjugate from specific binding cavities in an imprinted polymer by the analyte. The best of these polymers was obtained using (diethylamino)ethyl methacrylate as functional monomer at a monomer:template ratio of 2:1. HPLC with a mobile phase containing CAP-MR was used as the detection system, and injection of CAP and, to a lesser degree, thiamphenicol resulted in proportional displacement of the conjugate, which was detected at 460 nm. The detection system showed a linear response over a range of 3-1000 μg/mL and effectively detected CAP extracted from serum. This system offers a tailor-made, selective, and rapid method for CAP detection, is able to discriminate between similar molecules, and is effective below and above the therapeutic range (10-20 μg/mL serum, potentially toxic above 25 μg/mL). This technique is quite general and should enable the use of MIPs in a wide variety of applications involving the detection of families of molecules which possess a distinct arrangement of functional groups.

<b>Voltammetric determination of chloramphenicol at electrochemically pretreated glassy carbon electrode</b>

“…The recommended methods in pharmacopoeias for determining CAP in pharmaceuticals involve UV-spectroscopy and HPLC, but have limited selectivity and ore often subjected to interferences from components of the matrix [14,15]. Currently used methods for the determination of CAP in animal food samples, milk, meat or tissues and fluids of treated cattle include GC [16][17][18][19], HPLC [20][21][22][23], and planar chromatography [24]. However, these methods are laborious and require high cost instruments.…”

Capacitive Biosensor for Glutathione Detection Based on Electropolymerized Molecularly Imprinted Polymer and Kinetic Investigation of the Recognition Process

“…In many cases, it is difficult to find materials demonstrating recognition properties comparable to biological receptors [5]. Besides, the application of biosensors in practice was greatly restricted by the instability of biomaterials and operation in harsh chemical environments.…”

Enantioselective Recognition of Amino Acid by Differential Pulse Voltammetry in Molecularly Imprinted Monolayers Assembled on Au Electrodes

“…The other is the difficulty of electrical communication between recognition sites and the transducer caused by highly cross-linked polymers. Not surprising, most of the evaluations of molecular recognition are conducted either by QCM [11], chromogenic makers [12] or by optical methods [13]. Molecularly imprinted monolayers and thin-film assemblies, however, present a possible way to eliminate the diffusion barriers for the analytes and improve the electrical communication between recognition sites and transducer [14,15].…”